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Singh is Caribbean junior chess champ

Story Created:
Aug 11, 2014 at 8:23 PM ECT

Story Updated:
Aug 11, 2014 at 8:23 PM ECT

Vishnu Singh, a student of Presentation College, Chaguanas, and Trinidad and Tobago’s junior champion, finished unbeaten en route to winning the Under-20 category and the top prize of $1,800 at the 2014 Caribbean Chess Carnival tournament.

The three–day event, a seven–round international competition organised by the Trinidad and Tobago Junior Chess Foundation and sponsored by First Citizens Asset Management Ltd, came to an exciting end at the National Academy of the Performing Arts.

Singh who holds the International Chess Federation’s title of candidate master, confirmed his status as T&T’s leading junior chessist when he dominated the 13–member field in the Under-20 category of the Chess Carnival.

Allon Richards, the lone overseas player in this section, from Barbados, proved to be no match for Singh and fell victim to him in round five.

Prominent T&T junior Ramdath also had a good tournament, taking second place, two points behind Singh.

Vishnu’s younger brother Mahendra finished with four and half points which gave him third place ahead of Pacheco, Richards and Ammon on tiebreak.

T&T’s youngest candidate, Master Sean Yearwood, a student at Trinity Junior School also played unbeaten as he topped the 14 players in the Under-12 section. Yearwood, who has an international rating of 1653, repeated his performance from 2013, finishing with a perfect score of seven points.

Behind him was Matthew Inkim in second with five-and-a-half points and Reece Roopnarine in third with five points. They were followed by Reece Singh (fourth with four and a half points) and Tryell Lewis fifth with four points.

The Under-14 category saw Isaiah Mc Intosh of Presentation College finishing the seven-round contest ahead of the 11-member field on six-and-a-half points.

Behind him were Shannon Yearwood on five-and-a-half, Mikel Martin on five, Jon Raphael Sealy on four-and-a-half and Karissa Sonoo and Rishon Ramlogan on four points.

Suriname’s Fardeen Niamat scored five-and-a-half points, taking the top spot in the Under-10 section. Behind him were Christian Mack on five, Athena Martin on four-and-a-half, Chaya Johnson also on four-and-a-half, followed by Anusha Saha on three.

The novice category, open to local players only, saw Avash Persad of Hillview college play unbeaten in the 27-member field, topping the division with victories in all seven of his games. Olubayo Ollivierre who also had a good tournament, ended one point behind Persad in second with six points.

Third to sixth places respectively were filled by Zevanne Blaize, Collette Squires, Omari Watts and Sheldon Yearwood, all finishing on five points.

Seventy–five players took part in the competition, with representatives from Barbados, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.